NGT refuses to allow creation of reservoirs on Yamuna floodplain

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has refused to pass order on a plea by the Delhi government seeking its nod to create reservoirs on the Yamuna floodplain and asked statutory authorities concerned to look into the matter.

A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said that the NGT has no objection to any legitimate project which does not interfere with the rejuvenation of Yamuna and protection of its floodplains.

The NGT said, “The tribunal, however, can express no opinion on merits of any particular project. Merits of such projects have to go by concerned statutory authorities in accordance with the laid down procedure.”

The tribunal was hearing a petition filed by the irrigation and flood control department of the Delhi government for creation of water bodies or reservoirs in Yamuna floodplain by retaining excess flood water of River Yamuna during the monsoon season for recharging the groundwater from Palla to Wazirabad.

The petition said the proposal, subject to conditions, has been approved by the principal committee constituted by this tribunal. It also said that the proposal would be carried out as a pilot project at one location only to study the techno-economic viability and to identify the quantum of the groundwater recharged.

The committee also said, “Removal of silt to be carried out in a regulated and limited manner so as to keep the morphology of the river undisturbed. Sufficient safeguard needs to be built for implementation of the project to ensure that no misuse takes place through unauthorised activities, such as extraction of sand and other natural resources.”